Web design trends we're noticing

Whether we like it or not, the world of web design is always quickly changing — perhaps even faster than we can keep up. And with the inherently net-savvy nature of web designers and the popularity of design-sharing sites like Dribbble, trending should remain a powerful and very full-bodied force for the foreseeable future.

What we've done is put together some of the major movements that we have noticed with the hopes that we can provide you with a snapshot of the big picture as we have seen it lately. No doubt you've noticed many of these trends as well, but perhaps clients are reluctant to let you experiment with their site. While clients may never utter the blessed words, "Do as you wish and have fun," you may find you're able to insert subtle creativity in many places where your client has been silent.

What trends are losing steam?

Glossy aqua buttons a la OS X

Apple really brought glossy gel-filled buttons to the forefront with OS X. And that style has pervaded for a very long time, even influencing Windows Vista and Windows 7. But although gloss often looks very clean and striking, it has also been very overdone. The solution? Buttons have tended to become much less intense, with subtle gradients and matte finishes (see embossed typography below). Along the same lines, buttons have become more and more responsive and realistically designed. A standard model for button reactivity is that they change instantly and subtly when hovered over and then respond more drastically to being clicked (darker, lighter, or even inverted colors).

Cliche stock images

These are going out for many reasons, one of which is because they say very little. They fail to set the website apart from others, and they don't offer much unique insight into an organization. Offending images include the business handshake or the young woman smiling while chatting happily on her headset. The solution? Trying to find imagery that is both personal to the company and still informative seems to be the best solution. Perhaps have someone take pictures of the building or create a graphics-themed site.

Font experimentation

The last couple of years in design have seen some unique typographical layouts, possibly due to the increasing interest in typography and the introduction of many new font enthusiasts. In particular, there has been an increasing use of slab serif fonts on heavily gradated or busy backgrounds, which can create an unusual look for this traditionally clean font.

Reflections

This is another trend that seems to have followed the continuing success of Apple. And now, as with most things that gain such a large following, it has been overused. Reflection and mirroring looks to be on its way out the door (for everyone except Apple, apparently), even though it is still very sharp and clean looking.

What trends are picking up steam right now?

Simplicity

Designs are trending toward very simple, intuitive layouts that make site navigation much easier. This tendency toward clean interfaces helps to organize the page visually so that visitors can get where they need to go without sorting through information that should really be a layer or two deep. Several years ago, it seemed to be the pervading opinion that if a user couldn't see what they wanted without scrolling or clicking, then they would leave. This turns out to not be true, and giving the visitor a very clean, clutter-free interface has shown to be a better option. I've pulled up some local news and radio stations, typically known for their use of clutter:

It is difficult to decide where to begin.
Again, you know what you want is right there, but where?
This example from the LightCMS gallery really harnesses the advantages of a simple layout.

Print layouts and the grid system

The science of traditional print media has been having a large impact on the design community for years, and its influence is only growing. Why? Because it's clean, it simplifies aesthetic, and it is inherently more organized. For more information on this, check out this previous post that offers some resources for grid design.

Embossed typography

With the advances in font use on the internet, and especially web fonts, typography is continuing to grow rapidly as a subject relevant to the web. Embossing typography has been popular for a while now, but it remains strong. A noticeable change is that, like many trends, it has become more subtle. It often looks great, it plays well off the less-glossy, matte gradients of many site designs, and it works well for setting the type apart for headings or labels. It's also going to be easier to achieve without image manipulation using CSS3 and web fonts.

In this blown-up example, you can see the subtle embossing we use in our admin menus.

Noise

It would seem that something so basic and so "low-tech" would have no chance at making any sort of comeback, especially when it was never considered something you wanted. But somewhat recently, many designers have been incorporating noise into their images to create an almost unconscious visual interest and texture. It can be easily overdone and can destroy clean lines if allowed. It also seems to play in well with the move away from gloss and toward matte.

Here you can vaguely make out what might be noise or a very slight texturing.
When zoomed in, the use of noise is easily seen but is still subtle.

I know this is all subjective, but I think you're wrong. Sorry guys :-)

Stock Images - I think they're gaining popularity. I despise them. I don't want to see the same lady with a headset on every page. But more and more I see websites using them.

Reflections and Strange Font experimentations - on the rise. Things like JQuery make it easier to use crazy fonts without using images.

Simplicity died a long time ago. Some "web 2.0" sites are trying to resurrect it (ala http://www.dropbox.com/), but in general, most sites continue to try stuffing more things onto their webpage. With bigger monitors than ever before, they feel it's justified.

Other Trends I see on the rise:Rounded corners and shadows using CSSJQuery use to create image sliders, headlines, banners, etc. (which also means Flash being used less often).Videos being used in place of text explanations/descriptions (not entirely design, but it takes the place of some design)Social sharing buttons integrated into design (huge!)Twitter / FB wall feeds integrated

Trends that are going away:Music playing on websites automatically (ugh! maybe this hasn't been a huge problem in years, but I'm still rejoicing at its demise).

Yeah Stock images, why do people buy into them? They are hideous, cheap and tacky, stop using them please, go out and take your own snaps, a website is supposed to be personal to the company/client is it not?

I believe simplicity is always the better option but depends on the website. Alot of designer portfolios you will see the use of a simplistic design being used and it just "feels" right.

It's funny that the Blue Sky design has been so wildly successful for their business. Too bad I didn't use a more subtle background, then it would have really skyrocketed. Oh well, there's always a next time.